Electrical connector of the eyelet type



Aug. 4, 1953 Q BERG ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR 0F THE EYELET TYPE Filed Feb. 26, 1948 INVENTOR @veA/70V 55H6.

Patented ug. 4, n1953 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR OF THE EYELET TYPE Quentin Berg, New Cumberland, Pa., assignor to Aircraft-Marine Products, Inc., Harrisburg, Pa.

Application February 26, 1948, Serial No. 11,082

7 Claims. (Cl. 339-276) 1 This invention relates to electrical connectors, electrical connections and the method of making the same. More particularly the invention relates to connectors, connections and methods for terminating wires and like electrical conduc- 5 is turned up, it will advantageously extend from tors for facilitating their engagement and conopposite sides of the ferrule around the rest of nection with screws, binding posts and other the rim of the connector; thus the ferrule itself fastening means. I may extend close to the hole for the fastening.

It has in the past been common where wires When the inner or central edge is turned up were to be connected to screws, binding posts there is no interference with the ferrule which or the like, and where space beside the connecmay be as close as desired to the turned up tion was a problem, to form a loop in the end of central tubular abutment and the latter may a wire and to reinforce it by placing it over an therefore be completely circular. In the latter eyelet and crimping the eyelet onto the loop. case, I have found that the axial pressure of Such a connection is cheap, quite easy to make the fastening has a tendency to compress the and requires a minimum of space beyond the tubular abutment at its upper end so that it is binding post, etc., and therefore has been very difficult to remove from the threaded shank of commonly used; but it is recognized neverthethe screwor binding post; but this difliculty I less as an unsatisfactory type of connection. have overcome according to the present inven- The looped wire is too easily pulled out of the tion by flaring the upper end of the tubular eyelet; the crimping of the eyelet often cuts the abutment very slightly. Wire at the edge of the eyelet fiange to such an In the accompanying drawings I have shown extent that the wires break when subjected to several examples of the invention and 1 5113,11 vibration or exing in service, and even when describe below these and various modifications the wire is not damaged in the crimping, the and alternatives; but it is to be understood that sharp edge of the eyelet makes a sharply localized these are not, and are not intended to be, expoint of bending such that the wire may be weakhaustive or limiting of the invention but on the ened and broken by fatigue When flexed in contrary are given in order to best illustrate the service. There has, therefore, beenalong-standinvention and to instruct others skilled in this ing and widely recognized need for better conart in the principles of the invention and of its nections. Where a ferrule extended for about application 110 practical use that they may be half an inch, more or less, from the binding post enabled t0 understand it fully and t0 mOdify and was permissible, excellent connections have been adapt it G0 the COIldiJiOnS and requirements of available in recent years having pressure-formed varied uses. ferrules, but these have been rejected for many In these drWingS: important uses because of the space limitations Figure 1 is a view in perspective of a strip of which do not permit the projecting ferrule. For ConneetOrS embodying the invention which is these uses the unsatisfactory eyelet has conparticularly adapted for application by autotinued to be used. matic machine;

The present invention now satisfies this need Figure 2 is a plan view of the same; by using a ferrule pressure formed (or crimped Figure 3 is a View in side elevation of a conas it is most often called in this art) onto the nector such as one of those in the strip of Figwire in the same manner as the proven connecures l and 2 after crimping onto a wire and tors with projecting ferrules, but in this case the mounting on a terminal screw; the wire and ferrule connection is moved so close to the openthe conductor part yengaged by the screw are ing through the tongue that the screw head or broken away and the latter shown in section nut or other fastening would be likely to extaken on a plane through the axis of the screw tend over the ferrule. This is made possible achole; cording to this invention by the formation of Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view taken onk an abutment upstanding beside the hole for the line 4--4 of Figure 3; screw or binding post, etc., .to a height as great Figure 5 is a fragmentary view in cross-section as that of the ferrule when crimped onto the taken on line 5-5 of Figure 3; wire. Thus the clamping pressure of the screw Figure 6 is a fragmentary view partly in secor the nut on the binding post or other fastening tion similar f to that of Figure 3 but showing is exerted on the abutment, While the ferrule another embodiment of the invention; lies mostly close under the fastening with or Figure 7 is a plan view of the connector of Without extending to the same height as the Figure 6; abutment so as to be itself directly engaged by Figure 8 is a view in axial section of another the pressure of the fastening. embodiment of the invention; and

In the preferred form of the invention the Figure 9 is a plan view of the connector shown contact portion of the connector is in the form of 2 a washer-like tongue with at least one edge, periferal or central turned up to form an abutment or abutments which engages and is pressed by the fastening. If the outer or periferal edge f in Figure 8.

Referring first to Figures 1 and 2, the connectors there shown `are each composed of a contact tongue portion I and an integral ferrule-forming portion I2. The ferrule-forming portion in this case is of the type more particularly described and claimed in a copending ap.- plication of James C. Macy, Serial No. 717,842, led December 23, 1946, and as shown comprises the root area I4 with integral ears or laterally projecting portions I6 which in a suitable crimping die are curled over the root portion and back against wire I'I or other conductor placed thereon so as to make a secure low-resistance, permanent connection therewith. Although I have found great advantage in this type of connecting ferrule and crimp with the connector as shown, it is to be understood that other types of connection with the wire may be provided as desired, and in fact it is an important advantage of the present invention that it permits the designer to select the type of connection to the wire which is best for the particular application of the invention. In Figures 8 and 9 this versatility is illustrated by showing how a common type of rolled edge ferrule can be u sed with the present invention.

` The center of the contact tongue I 0 in the embodiment shown in Figures 1 to 5 is extruded into a tubular form as shown at I8, e. g. by drawing the metal of the sheet or strip, from which the connector is made, into a cup form and then punching out the bottom of the cup. In order to assure that the compression exerted by the screw 20 or nut or other fastening shall not lock the tubular abutment I8 onto the fastening 20, a punch with a 45 conical end is driven into the upper end of the abutment just enough to flare it slightly, e. g., to increase the diameter about 0.02 inch.

The height of the tubular abutment I8 is slightly greater than the ordinary height of the ferrule I2 when crimped onto a wire of the size for which it is designed. Thus the clamping pressure of the fastening 20 com es directly on the abutment I8. This relation, however', is not essential and if the abutment is slightly lower it will have the effect of exerting clamping pressure directly on the ferrule and by engaging the rim of the screw or nut at one point may help to hold it secure against loosening. The abutment I8, however, should not be so low that the screw will be bent by the unequal pressure on its head and the contact pressure thus loosened.

As shown in Figures 1 and 2 any number of these connectors may be integrally connected by leaving the ferrule-forming portion I2 of each unsevered from the tongue I0 of the next. Thus the integral series in a single strip may be as long as the sheet or strip from which it is made. Such a strip may be fed toa machine applicator wherein the last connector is severed from the strip and its ferrule crimped onto the wire.

In Figures 6 and 7 a similar connector is shown, but in this case, instead of the tubular abutment Illa being turned up fromv the inner or central perifery of the tongue I0a, it is in this case turned up from the outer perifery; and, since the ferrule-forming portion I2a must come close to the central opening, this means that the abutment IBa extends around less than the full circle, but advantageously is more than 180 so that it holds the screw or nut, etc., straight; or the ferrule portionmay form a partV oiv the effective` abutment, being of substantially the same height as the abutment I8a wl1en^fpvl-lyl crimped, so that it is directly engaged between the fastening 20 and the conducting part 22a to which the terminal is to be secured.

In Figures 8 and 9 the ferrule I2b is formed by rollinginward a lateral extension from the rim of the contact portion Ib and the abutment in this case is shown as a drawn up inner edge like that of Figures 1-5. It will be clear from which has been said above, however, that the outer edge could be drawn up in the manner shown in Figures 6 and 7. Likewise in this case or in the case illustrated by Figures 1-7 both the outer and inner edges can be drawn up to give an annular channel if desired.

This application is a continuation in part of my copending application Serial No. 773,819, filed September 13, 1947, now Patent 2,604,986, issued July 29, 1952.

I claim:

1. In a terminal binding post combination, a closed Wire surrounding ferrule, a tongue contiguous with said ferrule and having a hole therein, an abutment extending upwardly from said tongue to a point at least as high as a plane tangent to the top of said ferrule, a fastening engaging in said hole having a portion thereof clamping said abutment and extending substantially over said ferrule.

2. In a terminal binding post combination as defined by claim 1 further characterized in that said abutment at least partially surrounds said hole.

3. In a terminal binding post combination as defined by claim 2 further characterized in that said abutment completely surrounds said hole.

4. In a terminal binding post combination as defined by claim 2 further characterized in that said abutment is in the form of a circumferentially interrupted cylinder, the ends thereof joining opposite sides of said ferrule.

5. In a terminal binding post combination, a closed wire surrounding ferrule, a tongue contiguous with said ferrule and having a hole therein, an abutment extending upwardly from said tongue to a point immediately above a plane tangent tothe top of saidv ferrule,A a fastening en.- gaging in said hole having a head greater in radius than the distance from the center of the hole to said abutment and said ferrule.

6. In a terminal binding post combination, a closed wire surrounding ferrule, a tongue contiguous with said ferrule and having a hole therein, an abutment extending upwardly from said tongue to a point in a plane tangent to the top of said fer-rule, a fastening engaging in said hole having ahead greater in radiusthan the distance from the center of the hole to said abutment and. said ferrule.

7. A terminal binding post combination as dened by claim 1, further characterized in that saidabutment flares outwardly at its upper end to prevent locking of said fastening.

QUENTIN BERG.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATESPATENTS Number Name Date 799,748 Mills Sept. 19, 1905 835,158- Herz Nov. 6, 1906 883,201 Johnston. Mar.. 31,1908

1,215,004, Decker Feb..61917 1,619,517 Hughes Mar..1,.192.7. 1,790,101 Kohlol Jan. 27, 1931 2,304,7114 Shenton Dec..8, 192 2,347,713. Rogo1 .May 2,:19441 

